Reporters Without Borders called today on the Iranian authorities to unconditionally free 11 jailed journalists during an official visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Ambeyi Ligabo.

It called on them to allow the top UN envoy, who arrives in Teheran on 4 November, to meet the journalists, especially those being held in solitary confinement. There has been no news of one of them, Iraj Jamshidi, for over four months. The press freedom organisation also demanded that the ban on a number of newspapers be lifted to mark Ligabo's visit.

More than 100 newspapers have been shut down in Iran since 2000, press offences still carry prison terms and trials are often held in secret. Five detained journalists have been waiting to be tried for several months. Police and courts regularly harass those who are freed. Emadoldin Baghi, of Neshat, who was released after three years in prison, is now being accused of writing articles calling for press freedom saying that Iran is the biggest prison for journalists in the Middle East.